Postreproductive Survival and Behavior in a Free-Ranging Female Mangabey

Waser, Peter M.

doi:10.1159/000155836

Cited by 35 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Reproductive cessation in our study species was previously reported by Waser (1978). Reproductive aging of females is a conspicuous phenomenon in humans, but is not ubiquitous among other animals (Jones et al 2014;Roach and Carey 2014).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…Females are born with a set number of oocytes, and as females cycle, the pool of available oocytes diminishes and females may enter a postreproductive phase near the end of their life, i.e., menopause (Atsalis and Videan 2009;Bell and Koufopanou 1986;Pavelka and Fedigan 2012;Perheentupa and Huhtaniemi 2009;Waser 1978). The number of oocytes present at birth may depend on the nutrition of the mother before the daughter's birth, whereas the depletion rate of oocytes may depend on the rate of cycling and the frequency of pregnancies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Determinants of Reproductive Performance Among Female Gray-Cheeked Mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) in Kibale National Park, Uganda

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Identifying the causes of differential reproductive success is key to understanding natural selection and the forces of selection operating on animals. Here we present results from a 9-yr (2004-2012) study of female reproductive performance in relation to mother's age and rank, presence of immigrant males, rainfall, and fig fruit abundance in four groups of gray-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) in Int J Primatol (2015) 36:55-73 . We found that females had a rank-and age-specific reproductive pattern, with high-ranking females maturing earlier, having their first births earlier, and exhibiting significantly slower reproductive aging than low-ranking females. We also found that both immigrant and resident males were associated with higher birth rates. Finally, we found that reproduction was aseasonal and did not correlate with rainfall, but that births correlated positively with the abundance of fruits of Ficus spp. Our results show broad similarities between arboreal, forest-dwelling gray-cheeked mangabeys and their more terrestrial, open habitat-dwelling papionin relatives in the importance of dominance rank in estrous cycle initiation, first reproduction, and reproductive aging.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of Reproductive Performance Among Female Gray-Cheeked Mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) in Kibale National Park, Uganda

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Researchers have proposed that aged nonhuman primates can provide valuable insights into the clinical symptoms of menopause, a particularly distinctive phase of reproductive aging in human females, in addition to answers concerning the evolutionary significance of the phenomenon (Archer, 2004;Bellino, 2000;Gould et al, 1981;Graham, 1981;Kaplan, 2004;Schramm et al, 2002). To date, related research has focused primarily on macaques (Gilardi et al, 1997;Graham et al, 1979;Johnson and Kapsalis, 1998;Pavelka and Fedigan, 1999;Schramm et al, 2002;Shideler et al, 2001;Small, 1984;Takahata et al, 1995;Walker, 1995), with few data from other monkey species (Borries et al, 1991;Dolhinow et al, 1979;Harley, 1990;Sommer et al, 1992;Strum and Western, 1982;Tardif and Ziegler, 1992;Waser, 1978). Surprisingly, primatologists have investigated ape species markedly less well, though long lifespans, large body sizes, slow life history traits, and close taxonomic ties with humans may make them more suitable paradigms for research on reproductive aging in humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual and Hormonal Cycles in Geriatric Gorilla gorilla gorilla

Atsalis

Margulis

2006

Int J Primatol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As our closest living relatives, great apes likely experience behavioral and physiological patterns associated with reproductive aging and menopause that are similar to human patterns. We present results from a nationwide zoo-based study on behavioral and hormonal changes in female western gorillas. We evaluated progestogen concentrations via daily fecal sampling in 30 gorillas, 22 of which were geriatric (≥30). We collected concurrent behavioral data 1-3 times weekly on 16 of the females. While control females cycled regularly, ca. 23% of geriatric females are acyclic (menopausal), and another 32% show variable hormonal patterns suggesting perimenopause. Patterns included increased variability in cycle length and peak progestogen values, and frequent insufficient increases in progestogen levels during the luteal phase. Acyclic females have significantly lower overall progestogen concentrations than the self cycling females, though differences are not significant when cycle phase is incorporated. We detected behavioral estrus in 9 of 10 cycling females for which data were available. In all but 1 case, proceptive behavior occurred during the follicular phase, preceding ovulation on average by 6.6 d. Females spent more time in proximity to the silverback male while in behavioral estrus than during other periods. To date, maximum longevity in captive female gorillas is 52 yr, with poor reproductive prognosis beginning from the age of 37. We demonstrate that both perimenopause and menopause characterize aged female gorillas, which 1664 Atsalis and Margulis may experience a postreproductive lifespan of >25% of their lives. Continued study of aging apes is warranted, and apes may serve as models for agerelated reproductive changes in humans.

show abstract

“…1987; Kaplan, 1997) vs. those claims for the existence of menopause in nonhuman primate species (e.g., Hodgen et al, 1977;Waser, 1978;Graham et al, 1979;Hrdy, 1981;Nishida et al, 1990) have led to further studies that seek to clarify the existence and the extent of a postreproductive life in various primates. Many of these more recent studies contribute further competing claims for (e.g., Paul et al, 1993) and against (e.g., Johnson and Kapsalis, 1998) the existence of an adaptive termination of reproduction in nonhuman primates.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive termination in female Japanese monkeys: A comparative life history perspective

Pavelka

Fedigan

1999

Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study explores the question of reproductive termination (loss of reproductive ability) in female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) from the Arashiyama West (Texas) troop. We used a large sample of completed lives to identify reproductively terminated female Japanese macaques and to consider reproductive termination in Japanese macaques from a comparative life history perspective, which permits meaningful comparisons to be made with human female menopause. We classified a female as reproductively terminated if the time lag between last parturition and death exceeded two standard deviations of the female's own mean lifetime interbirth interval (Caro et al. [1995] Int. J. Primatol. 16:205-220). Seventy of the 95 females in the sample had at least 3 infants over their lifetime (the minimum required for the calculation of a mean and standard deviation), and thus were included in the analysis. Of these 70 females, 20 showed reproductive termination. Reproductively terminated females ranged in age from 14.5-32.7 years, although in females under age 25, reproductive termination was unlikely. The majority of females up to age 25 showed continued parturition. However, after age 25, reproductive termination was population-wide. Length of postreproductive life for reproductively terminated females varied from 0.07-4.4 years, with a mean of 2.08 years. Variation in length of postreproductive life was not related to the age at death of the female. While the occurrence of population-wide reproductive termination after 25 years does suggest similarities with human female menopause, the age at which this termination occurs is very late in the life span, and it was experienced by only 2.9% of the population. Female Japanese monkeys over age 25 are visibly aged and show outward signs of weakness and deterioration, quite unlike the healthy middle age of menopausal human females. Accordingly, as a life history characteristic, reproductive termination in Japanese macaques does not appear to coincide with menopause as experienced by human females.

show abstract

Postreproductive Survival and Behavior in a Free-Ranging Female Mangabey

Cited by 35 publications

References 5 publications

Determinants of Reproductive Performance Among Female Gray-Cheeked Mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Determinants of Reproductive Performance Among Female Gray-Cheeked Mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Sexual and Hormonal Cycles in Geriatric Gorilla gorilla gorilla

Reproductive termination in female Japanese monkeys: A comparative life history perspective

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About